Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I think we are talking about two different issues. A double payment and a lump-sum payment are not the same. Qualified adults who are not in receipt of a primary payment in their own right did not receive a lump-sum payment, but the October double payment and the Christmas bonus were both double payments, so a person in receipt of the primary payment received double his or her overall weekly payment inclusive of any additional payments for qualified adults.

The €200 spring payment is different. It is not a double payment. It is an extra €200 lump sum added to a person's primary payment. For example, for someone on a long-term jobseeker's payment, the standard jobseeker's payment is €220 while the qualified adult rate is €146. That household received one €200 lump sum payment. The two individuals do not receive two separate €200 lump sum payments. It is important to understand that my Department makes its payments on the basis of the primary payment so for example a pensioner might add her husband as a qualified adult onto her payment but at the same time he might decide to apply in his own right. People make those choices themselves. Some are dependants and some are there in their own right. This payment was made to the primary payment recipient.

See this speech in context